News archive

Two of the largest environmental organizations in the Pacific Islands region have renewed their agreement to enhance collaboration in key areas, after the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and IUCN Oceania signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) last week. …

The Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management (BIOPAMA) Programme is pleased to announce the commencement of an important new partnership that will see the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) as the host organization for the Regional Observatory for Protected Areas and Biodiversity in the Pacific Islands region. …

Environment Ministers of five Pacific Island countries – Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Palau, Samoa and Vanuatu – have committed to increase efforts to conserve mangroves, by signing the Pacific Mangroves Charter at a side event of the 3rd United Nations International Conference on Small Islands Developing States (SIDS). …

A research conducted between 2012 and 2014 not only values the ecosystem services provided by the three islands’ natural world, but produces reports and policy briefs for decision-makers with guidance on how to maintain these values for the benefit of the economy. …

Jessica Watson, OAM (Order of Australia Medal), is a young Australian sailor and Champion of the IUCN World Parks Congress 2014. In May 2010, Jessica became the youngest person to sail non-stop and unassisted around the world. …

The recent focus on coastal fisheries has raised the question of why coastal ecosystems are so important. The simple answer is that healthy coastal ecosystems are the lifeblood of Pacific Island communities, providing food, income and physical protection. …

The countries that participated in last week’s inaugural Pacific Bêche-de-mer and the Future of Coastal Fisheries Meeting have turned their focus to the next steps they will take to address the threats posed to food security, livelihoods and biodiversity. …

The world’s smallest cetacean, the Critically Endangered Vaquita (Phocoena sinus), is facing its most daunting challenge yet. Despite decades of conservation work to protect this porpoise in its limited habitat in the northern Gulf of California, Mexico, an unlikely but illegal trade in wildlife has arisen all to quickly. Chinese demand for the swim bladder of another threatened species- the totoaba fish (Totoaba macdonaldi) is now accelerating the slide toward extinction for this species of porpoise. …